Bliss addiction

[LadyMay]

I felt like writing something on one of the pitfalls of awakening that I see many fall into. Bliss addiction. When we have all this new energy coming in it is easy to become addicted to the feelings and sensations and strive for more beyond what is healthy for us. All energy needs to be integrated and grounded into the body, so that higher states of being can come about. When this doesn't happen a person can get stuck and not move on properly as they're supposed to.

Part of the reason why this happens is due to ignorance. Most people when they feel this bliss assume this is the highest state of being, unaware that there are higher states of being that require them to let go of the bliss and move on. In Buddhist tradition they have the stages of higher consciousness numbered as 'Jhanas' (or levels of Samadhi in Hinduism).

The bliss that is felt during an awakening is actually only the 2nd Jhana. There are two more stages before self-realisation/enlightenment/illumination is attained. In the 3rd Jhana the bliss evolves into partial equanimity, and before one can move onto the 4th Jhana the shadow aspects of the self have to be completely faced and dealt with. This experience is often known as the dark night of the soul and comes hand in hand with passing through the 3rd Jhana.

Then, even after 4th Jhana is attained there are apparently four more levels of Jhana that can be experienced on earth.

My point being, that in order to move onto the next stage you have to let the previous stage go. Bliss addiction is the unfortunate experience of being stuck in the 2nd Jhana. Because once you move forward to the 3rd Jhana you have to face the shadow, and that's something many are not prepared to deal with. But it's necessary if one wishes to continue their evolution. And it's also well worth it, for those who feel strong enough to carry on through the stages.

If you don't feel strong enough to carry on through the stages then that is fine, but it's important to be aware that there are more stages for any time that you feel you do desire to let go and move on.

Bliss turns into equanimity, and whilst bliss is a high, equanimity is an even neutral emotional state where nothing affects you. As long as one still experiences 'highs' then they still have shadow that will drag them down to experience lows also. That is the nature of emotions and indeed the laws of physics and life. What goes up must come down. Energy is no exception.

It's easy to become addicted to bliss. Being emotionally and energetically neutral to most sounds quite undesirable. But it's the sign of a healthy personality.

Remember that whatever you experience, not to become attached to it. Check yourself for mental and emotional attachments whenever you can. This will bring about an internal space for things to come and go as they should, and it will also help develop a higher awareness.. the awareness of your Higher Self.

Some articles on this if anyone wants to read more:
http://www.kundaliniawakeningsystems...s-addicts.html
https://bigpicturequestions.wordpres...tion-to-bliss/

I especially liked this image from the second article:

[Frederick33]

perhaps its all quite interesting

do you need to memorize these words and than know some thing ?

how do you do this ?

where do you store them ?

where do you see 'all these people'

is this all just not personal creation

are you not just creating limitations on complete freedom

by imagining you know some things ?

just saying or asking

for me the greatest insight and knowledge comes from being void of anything

think nothing experience all from there , be it love be it knowledge , be it i sight ?

to be nothing is not nothing its lust light which I presume is unconditional love
or collective consciousness what you are when completely free

my posting is nonsense just words no meaning in them

don't be fooled by any apparent meaning you might think is in them there is none

they never take you in to the light where all is known at will

or left as is as uncreated just light

so how could they than have real value ?

love and light to all on this amazing day

[july14]

this is a good post. doesn't answer to the subject I started in another thread, but it is a reminder that nothing is forever, including feelings of happiness and feelings of despair or anxiety. you just sort of have to wait out until the negative emotions pass and realize they do pass

[Gem]

Sure, the pleasure side of the spectrum is a tentative one because it doesn't feel like suffering, but the craving or clinging is addiction and that'll crash, so the irony is that nothing can be avoided or held in the hands. That's why any experience painful or pleasurable is an opportunity to strengthen the balance of mind, and the balance is needed for everything.

[Miss Hepburn]

Scarlett...wouldn't this be better suited for the
Spiritual development section?
Personally, I almost didn't read it bec I figured it was about TFs.

But it is a very informative post on the spiritual Path, imo.
You sure are a smart for a young woman!
I would expect this in an older person...always thought this about you.

[LadyMay]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Scarlett...wouldn't this be better suited for the
Spiritual development section?
Personally, I almost didn't read it bec I figured it was about TFs.

But it is a very informative post on the spiritual Path, imo.
You sure are a smart for a young woman!
I would expect this in an older person...always thought this about you.

Actually it was meant to be about twins.. because when you meet them it kickstarts your awakening. Then people get addicted to their twin flame who the energy was originally triggered by, thinking it'll give them more. So they get addicted to the bliss and forget about the actual person. I didn't know where to insert that in my original post but the idea is essentially the same.

Also, I think in the spiritual development section they don't need this. ;) A lot in there are already well aware of equanimity.

Thank you though.

Originally Posted by ScarlettHayden

Actually it was meant to be about twins.. because when you meet them it kickstarts your awakening. Then people get addicted to their twin flame who the energy was originally triggered by, thinking it'll give them more. So they get addicted to the bliss and forget about the actual person. I didn't know where to insert that in my original post but the idea is essentially the same.

Also, I think in the spiritual development section they don't need this. ;) A lot in there are already well aware of equanimity.

Thank you though.

Yes it makes a lot of sense. I try hard to differentiate between the "SC as awakening catalyst"-her and the "SC as a person"-her. I think Jung wrote something along the line of being mindful not assimilating the Animus/Anima with the person that triggers such attraction. Somehow I feel it's related to what you explained differently

[LadyMay]

Originally Posted by LiveInTheNow

Yes it makes a lot of sense. I try hard to differentiate between the "SC as awakening catalyst"-her and the "SC as a person"-her. I think Jung wrote something along the line of being mindful not assimilating the Animus/Anima with the person that triggers such attraction. Somehow I feel it's related to what you explained differently

Yes, Jung would call this projection of the soul image onto the person and identifying with that instead of the actual person. Until our shadow is accepted and integrated we will only see things how we ourselves are. We fall in love with ourselves.. we don't fall in love with the person. That is why it's easy to fall in love with falling in love.. so easy to idealise and get addicted to our own image. We are trying to be whole but don't realise it. I don't think this sort of unawareness is fair to the person we call our love interest. Essentially they are just an object at this stage.

[RedEmbers]

Growing up my Dad would often tell me "nothing is permanent", I used to think that it sounded so pessimistic hehe.

He did me a favour though, his words helped me as an adult. I know that everything will pass away and everything is always in motion.

This allows for greater appreciation/gratitude of the moment and people I share that with, also acceptance.

I just need to work on my biggest and longest serving fear now! The fear that TIME IS ALaWYS RUNNING out... that future thought creates anxiety...but hey, that could be the flip side of this knowledge learning for me

Originally Posted by ScarlettHayden

Yes, Jung would call this projection of the soul image onto the person and identifying with that instead of the actual person. Until our shadow is accepted and integrated we will only see things how we ourselves are. We fall in love with ourselves.. we don't fall in love with the person. That is why it's easy to fall in love with falling in love.. so easy to idealise and get addicted to our own image. We are trying to be whole but don't realise it. I don't think this sort of unawareness is fair to the person we call our love interest. Essentially they are just an object at this stage.

Interesting, and deep. Until now mirroring has always been discussed as projecting and getting back the negative stuff (example : insecurities, anger, fears etc) but as you mentioned there may be the "positve" mirroring too (loving the good stuff about oneself in someone else). And both are just reflections, more or less distorted and unrelated to the real person acting unknowingly as a mirror.